Bunion-corrective appliance.



w. P. KOPPE. BUNION CORRECTIVE APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, IQIL 1,245,468. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

52/067 2?? 1 wad/1w Fli 5 W. P. KOPPE.

BUNION CORRECTIVE APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 16. I917.

Patented N0v.-6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED s'ra'rns rarrrr orric.

\VILLIAIVf PAUL KOPPE, 6F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 SCHOLIi MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BUNION-GOBB-EGTIVE APPLIANCE.

Application filed March 16, 1917.

; fol-table to wear, and efiicacious in operation,

for applying pressure to the great toe to bring the phalanges into, and maintain them in, proper anotomical relation to the first metatarsal, without creating any undue 0r distressing pressure upon the fleshy portions of the foot contiguous to the first metatars0- phalangeal articulation.

' It is a fact of general knowledge that in cases of Hallux Valgus and bunion, curative treatment usually demands a mechanical restoration of the great toe from its outwardly-misplaced position, but withniinimal irritation to the usually-swollen and highly sensitive tissues contiguous to. the great toe joint. 'These desiderata I attain by means hereinafter described: and claimed, as illustrated in the accompanying draw.- ings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view. of an embodiment of my invention in use;

F 2 is a side elevation thereof;

F 3 is a plan view thereof with fragments broken away;

Fig. l is a vertical section on line H of Fi 3:

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side view of'a modified formof structure Fig. 7 is plan detail. thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 6.

My improved appliance comprises a relatively stiff lever, generally indicated at 10, having its front end bifurcated to provide upper and lower arms 11 and 12 joined at their outer ends by a pressure web 13 that may engage the outer side (2'. 6., side toward the outer margin of the foot) of the great toe, said arms being properly shaped to extend above and below the great toe and toward the inner side of the foot to meet in rear of the metatarso-phalangeal articulation, at what I will term the fulcrum-area Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Serial 1%. 155,193.

14 of the lever, said lever thence extending rearwardly a suitable distance, preferably to the neighborhood of the scaphoid bone, and at its rearward end provided with means, as the strap 15, to girdle the foot and apply pressure to the lever.

I believe that I am the first to provide a toestraightening lever of the character described, having only its fulcrum area and its girdle-connected end disposed along the inner margin of the foot, and that wholly in rear of the metatarso-phalangeal articulation, the pressure applying portions com.- prising arms extending above and below the foot- .across the line of the great toe and lengthwise to near its. extremity, and there connected by a pressure web that coacts with the outer side of the great toe.

In specific construction, some features of which I may hereafter claim for their par ticular advantage, I prefer that the metallic portions of the lever be madeof a single piece of sheet metal formed to provide an underfoot extension 17 curved transversely to pass under the instep and to aid in giving very definite position to the lever by substantially preventing vertical displacement of its rearward or pressure-receiving end. To this extension the band 15 may be attached, the band being preferably of heavy webbing that may. encircle the footeither directly around the instep or, as shown in Fig.1, with a loop around the ankle. A

buckle i5 typifies any suitable means for securing adjustment of the strap to regulate the pressurebrought to bear on the pressure receiving end. 1

The solid portion of the lever is preferably rather broad, and suitably curved in sectional contour for substantial conformity to the usual curvatures of-the inner side of the foot, and the two arms 11 and 12 are sprung from the forward portion of this body in gradual curves, widest spread just in front of the fulcrum area from which they spring, where they pass above and below the great toe joint. These arms twist as they progress forwardly so that near their extremities they lie nearly horizontal, in an approximation to parallelism, their curvatures throughout being fashioned for conformity with the foot of the wearer. In practice I prefer that the metal employed in the lever shall be rather ductile, and quite thin, so that with pincers or strong hand pressure they can be bent by the user for most comfortable precision in fit.

T he pressure web 13 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be an integral part of the metal structure, blanked out in suitable, size and sharply bent back as shown in Fig. 4 to donble the metal on itself, as at 18 so providing a bead-like edge for presentation toward the great toe and stiffening the extremity of the device. In some instances, however, it may be preferable to employ a more fiexible pressure web and to this end the construction as shown in Figs. 6 to 8 may be adopted wherein 13' is a pressure web of fabric-webbing, and one end secured to slots 19 in the lower arm 12 and at its other end passing through slots 20 in the upper arm 11, to be held in adjusted position, as by teeth 21 margining one of said slots. Such a modification is of particular utility where the condition of the foot is such that very gradual replacement of the great toe is necessary, since obviously adjustment of the fabric web 13 will enable the girdle band 15 always to be snugly drawn without imposing undue pressure on the toe.

It is my preference that all of the metal parts of the structure be protectively covered for the comfort of the wearer, and as illustrated in Fig. i I find it to be desirable to cover surfaces that are presented toward the foot With Chamois-skin, buck-skin, or other relatively soft material, and the exteriorly presented surfaces with a kid or other smooth surfaced material, these coverings being cemented to the metal and to each other.

It will be understood that while I have described in considerable detail specific em bodiments of my invention for purposes of full disclosure thereof, such details are not vital to the embodiment of my invention in its broader aspects, and that many changes may be made in the specific construction Without departure from the spirit of my invention and Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim is l. A lever structure for exerting restorative pressure on the great toe comprising a body portion adapted to extend along the inner side of the foot in rear, only, of the metatarso-phalangeal articulation, arms extending forwardly and laterally from said body above and below the foot toward the outer side of the great toe end, a pressure web to engage the outer side of the great too connecting said arm, and a girdle band engaging the rear portion of the body.

2. A great toe straightening apparatus comprising a fulcrum portion adapted to engage the inner side of a foot in rear of the great toe joint, body portions extending rearwardly therefrom, arms extending from said fulcrum portion forwardly and laterally across the line of the great toe above and below the foot, a pressure web for coaction with the outer side of the great toe connecting the end portions of said arm, and means for exerting pressure on the body end of said lever to press the latter toward the foot.

3. Apparatus for straightening the great toe comprising a lever plate having a solid portion for coaction with the inner side of the foot and shaped approximately to fit a human foot from a point in rear of the great toe joint to approximately the scaphoid bone, and two integral arms extending above and below the foot, across the line of the great toe substantially to the end of the toe, thereby to leave the toe free as to its inner surface, avpressure web connecting the extremities of the arms to bear against the outer side of the great toe, and a foot girdling band connected with the rear end of the lever.

l. A toe straightening lever comprising a body portion having an underfoot extension 1'? and forwardly and laterally extending arms 11 and 12 arranged to cross the line of the great toe above and below the foot, a web connecting the extremities of said arms to coact with only the outer side of the great toe, and a foot girdling band connected to the rear end of the body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM PAUL KOPPE. In the presence of SEWARD DAVIS, OLIVER WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. i 

